Divers prepare to enter the cold and murky Hudson

NEWBURGH – State and Newburgh Police divers were in the Hudson River off Newburgh Monday looking for any clues as to the whereabouts of Marc Bookal, the 4-year-old boy reported missing on December 14. It was the second day in a row that divers searched the river.

Police have searched buildings, basements, sewers and fields in the area of his Benkard Avenue home. They also conducted extensive searches with K-9s along the Hudson River shoreline.

Police Lt. Charles Broe said the unknown whereabouts of the child is unnerving.

“I know it’s frustrating from a law enforcement perspective; I cannot imagine how the family feels. None of us can unless we’ve been through it, I don’t think any of us can imagine how they are feeling,” he said. “I am hoping for the best, but I think we need to prepare for whatever happens.”

The boy’s biological parents have taken, and passed, polygraph tests. The mother’s boyfriend, Cory Byrd, remains in the Orange County Jail on a probation violation and a charge of endangering the welfare of a child. He was with the boy when he disappeared.

Byrd has refused to take a lie detector test.